Diamonds may just be a girl\u2019s best friend, but they\u2019re far from her only one. There are many gemstones, but only a few are precious and beautiful enough to be commonly used in jewelry. Different types of stones have diverse significances, are appropriate as gifts on different occasions and have their own unique lore. Keep reading to find out more about your favorites!<\/p>\n
Diamond<\/strong><\/p>\n Diamonds, it has been said, are forever. That\u2019s partly because they\u2019re so often given as engagement rings, representing the commitment to everlasting love. It\u2019s also because they are the hardest gemstones and one of the most valued in existence. Most diamonds originate in South Africa, and white or clear are the most commonly used colors in jewelry. Diamonds also come in yellows, greens and blues, however.<\/p>\n The diamond is known to bring clarity, balance, abundance and longevity. Some believe that it has the ability to amplify the wearer\u2019s thoughts, strengths and weaknesses. They symbolize innocence and constancy and have been highly coveted for crown jewel sets.<\/p>\n Emerald<\/strong><\/p>\n Another stone that\u2019s well-known for being a symbol of love and romance, the emerald is the sacred stone of the goddess Venus. It is a symbol of hope and is thought by many to be the stone of prophecy. Others even believe that it can have a tranquilizing effect on a wearer suffering from a troubled mind. In folklore tales it\u2019s often stated that the emerald\u2019s powers are at their zenith during the springtime and full moons.<\/p>\n These harmonizing green stones are properly referred to as \u201cberyls,\u201d which come in many different colors. If the stone contains too much blue, for instance, it\u2019s known as an aquamarine, not an emerald. It\u2019s also common for these gemstones to have inclusions (bubbles) in them.<\/p>\n Opal<\/strong><\/p>\n Not all opals are considered to be precious gemstones, so which ones are? It\u2019s a bit of a technical explanation, but those that consist of spheres of silicon dioxide arranged in closely packed planes are precious. The opal is a multicolored stone that is rated on a scale of one to five, with five being the brightest. The name opal itself comes from the Sanskrit word \u201cupala,\u201d which means \u201cprecious stone.\u201d<\/p>\n The opal is believed to be a stone that enhances one\u2019s imagination and creativity and helps with memory. Opal is also said to symbolize fidelity in love.<\/p>\n Pearl<\/strong><\/p>\n Somewhat similarly to the emerald, pearls are said to help the wearer become more in tune with life\u2019s peaks and valleys by bringing about a calming and centering feeling. They are a strong symbol of purity and encourage charity, integrity, truth, faith and loyalty.<\/p>\n Pearls are exceptional in that they aren\u2019t dug up from underneath the Earth. Instead, they are hard objects that are produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Speaking of being exceptional, the term \u201cpearl\u201d has even become metaphorical for something or someone that is rare and admirable.<\/p>\n Ruby<\/strong><\/p>\n Did you know that rubies are actually red sapphires? It\u2019s true! These pink or blood-red stones are so close to sapphires that sometime in the early 20th<\/sup> century it became popular to refer to some rubies that don\u2019t meet a minimum color saturation as a pink sapphire instead of a ruby. There is some debate around the subjectivity of this distinction, though, and the International Colored Gemstone Association has stuck to using only the term ruby, regardless of whether a stone is more pink or red.<\/p>\n Regardless, the ruby is closely associated with love and passion, and some believe it gives wearers the courage to live up to their highest potential. It can be a symbol of either friendship or love when given as a gift. The majority of rubies originate from Burma and Thailand.<\/p>\n